to think I shouldn't have to lose weight to get a prescription of weight loss pills?

[ThereWasOnceAGirl]

I've battled with weight my entire life. 20+ years of dieting.

Recently I put on just over a stone in a very short space of time. So I thought enough was enough, what I'm doing is clearly not working and I want to try weight loss pills under a gps supervision.

GP rang me and said she would be happy to sit down an discuss it with me, but I would need to lose 5lbs before she would prescribe them (I currently weigh 13.6stone)

Aibu to think this defeats the object? If I could lose that much then I wouldn't be asking for pills.

Overeating is not in the same category.

Maybe not for you, but it is for some. When people trill "it's so easy for me. Eat less, more more" does it never occur to them that there is more to it than that? OP said "I've battled with weight my entire life. 20+ years of dieting." She has been doing it wrongly, apparently, for 20 years. Isn't about time she got some help instead of a ticking off.

senua
I am more than happy to help those who want to help themselves.
Diet pills are NOT a sustainable way to help oneself.
The doctor is quite correct in wanting the OP to take the first step of the journey unaided.

You are not listening. She has been doing the journey unaided for 20 years and it's not working. I'm not saying that the pills are the answer but saying "go away and do it on your own" isn't the answer either.

Astarael there is some scientific evidence that intermittent fasting is healthy - it lowers various risk markers in your blood. Possibly more importantly for a failed dieter, it is also very easy to stick to as it is very binary (eat some days, don;t on others) and the OP can still eat whatever she normally does on the other days. She will be (pretty much) guaranteed to lose the 5lbs in one week which to her, at the moment, seems impossible. It's only for the one week if all she wants is the pills although doing it more often according to the 5:2 plan would be a viable alternative to the pills.

The NHS website says:

In one study carried out in 2010 the researchers found that women placed on a 5:2 diet achieved similar levels of weight loss as women placed on a calorie controlled diet.
They also experienced reductions in a number of biological indicators (biomarkers) that suggest a reduction in the risk of developing chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
A further study in 2012 suggested that the 5:2 model may help lower the risk of certain obesity-related cancers, such as breast cancer.
The increasing popularity of the 5:2 diet should lead to further research of this kind.

No sarcasm or joking.

The pills are not just about popping a pill or two a day and the weight drops off. They are an aide. With the pills you still have to eat within the right amount of calories a day, you have to avoid certain foods, which you shouldn't be eating all the time anyway, you have to limit the amount of sugary foods. You have to portion control. You have to avoid as much fat in your diet as possible, which you should be doing anyway...Realistically, do this with some gentle exercise and you should loose some weight unless there is an underlining health condition.

Have you ever spoke to a nutritionist about meal planning and portion control. I am not saying this is what is happening with you, but I do know people who constantly battle with weight, who eat healthily, never really loose weight, but have massive meals that would feed a family of 3.

Maybe if she routed her journey via the gym her weight wouldnt be a problem.

I think YABVU to expect pills to just be dished out. As others have said, you need to make a sustained effort yourself - and not just a short-term fix. You need to show that you are committed to living a healthier life. Maybe ask to be referred to a dietician to help you improve your eating habits, and see a gym instructor about a feasible exercise routine. Losing 5lb should be easy at your weight, assuming you don't have a medical condition that prohibits weight loss.

ThereWasOnceAGirl Ask your GP for a dietician referral. I did and have lost 2 stone (from your current weight down to 11st7lb).
I'm now aiming to get to down to a healthy BMI of 23 - 24 and stay there.
(I put on over a stone very fast due to psychiatric medications (I changed meds luckily). I looked at all my meds and asked to change to versions that don't make me pile on weight.)

How i'm doing it (with dietician guidance):

1500 cals a day - you have to be really strict. All food items to contain less than 3g saturated fat per 100g. And a only a very low amount of sugar per 100g.

3 meals a day with 2 - 3 snacks. Each meal should contain starchy carbs (for energy), low fat protein and plenty of veg / fruit.

I've cut out all calorific drinks - no fruit juices, alcohol, full sugar sodas - drink lots of water, or diet drinks, or tea / coffee with skimmed milk only.

Also cut out are cakes, chocolate, sweets, crisps, takeaways, deep fried food inc. chips, oil, butter, extra sugar inc. honey, cream, ice cream, and fatty cuts of meat inc. sausage & burgers; pizza, full fat cheese.

I allow myself 2 small treats a week eg 1 scoop of ice cream with my coffee in Thorntons café; 1 small glass of wine at the pub one evening.

It sounds difficult and it is. But you get to love the taste of healthy food.
Learning about food labels and ingredients really helps.

Exercise helps too - I go to the gym for 50 minutes at least 3 times a week and walk everywhere. Lifting weights is good because your body continues to burn fat for 24 hrs after.

Learn what your body fat and visceral body fat % are. THis is very motivating.

If I can do it (I had the worst sweet tooth) then so can you.

OP, I've tried diet pills a failed dieter for 37 years and counting lol, they are not the answer.

As other posters have stated they cause unpleasant side effects (and I had an alarming allergic reaction too). Additionally, they don't teach you to make free choices about improving your lifestyle and food intake.

You state that you have put on a stone in a short space of time. That is something for you to look carefully at. What changes have taken place in your routine and lifestyle recently? Be honest with yourself.

I have started making small changes (as other posters have already mentioned too) and focused on making food choices that are kind to myself and body.

You want a quick fix but, take it from me (an expert in quick fixes), it ain't a quick fix, you won't sustain it long term.

Look at making long lasting changes in your lifestyle and food intake rather than "I want to lose a stone or two by Christmas".

Good luck.

You could try the national slimming centre they have weight loss pills and they don't ask you to loose weight before you start

You are being unreasonable I'm afraid. The doctor wants you to show that you're committed to weight loss and able to follow a healthy diet. You cant eat whatever you like and then just pop a pill...it doesn't work like that. You will have to follow a very low fat diet whilst taking them, or risk the very unpleasant side effects!

I am sympathetic to your plight btw. I weigh almost 17st and have battled with food and weight issues since I was a young child. It's very tough and you deserve support to deal with it.

I've lost 10kg on the 5:2 diet after years of struggling. I wouldn't dream of using diet pills.

What commitment do doctors ask for before giving quit smoking help?

When I asked for champix to quit smoking I had to do a breath test thingy to prove I was quitting otherwise I wouldn't get the script.

Gp not being unfair- is simply sticking to NICE

www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/11000/30364/30364.pdf

supposed to evaluate effect of diet/ exercise etc before starting orlistat/ BNF recommends weight loss first - so I suppose if this is the first time you have consulted her she is simply trying to ensure she has followed guidelines.
Accept that if you have been frequently and have had all advice documented then perhaps you could try.
Side effects orlistat horrible though

YABU. It's best practice to ask patients to demonstrate commitment to losing weight beforehand, and your GP has given you correct advice. I recently did an audit on Orlistat prescribing in our practice (I'm a GP) and we found that on average, patients actually tended to gain weight on treatment, particularly in those who had not made the effort to lose weight beforehand. If you are not happy to follow your doctor's advice, remember these pills can be purchased over the counter in some pharmacies.

Ive had pills from the doctor before. They did absolutely nothing for me.
I lost a little bit but nothing amazing.
In January I started Slimming World and have now lost 4 stone. The plan is brilliant, fits into my family life easily and I dont feel I'm on a 'diet' at all.
im not even halfway through my journey but I know with a proper eating plan that has no nasty side effects I will achieve my goal.
I didn't feel that way whrn I was given pills.
Maybe they will work for you, there's probably hundreds of people out there who lost weight with them.
Good luck .

YABU.

Pills solve fuck all. As others have proffered, you are better off actually dealing with the underlying issues which have plagued you for all of these years. Easier said than done, yes, but there clearly is no easy answer.

And what exercise will you be doing?

What exercise do you presently do?

Gp's just give you ONE course of nicotine patches/ cessation aids. So someone who is morbidly obese would only get one chance. That's not fair is it?

I actually can't believe this question has even been asked- I mean you want to lose weight, right? What's wrong with asking for you to show willing?

The pills are absolutely pointless anyway. They work by blocking your absorption of fat. But on them, you have to eat an extremely low fat diet or else face uncontrollably shitting orange oil down the back of your legs whilst wearing white linen pants as a friend did years ago. In public.

You need to address your issues with food before you embark on any sort of weight loss plan. These little blue pills are not the answer you're looking for.

OP

I assume you are lurking but choosing not to re enter the fray
I accept and understand that
AIBU is the least sympathetic board on mumsnet

you do not need sympathy, but you need support
and you will find it here
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/fasting_diet

please, do not give up.
You are unhappy with what the GP said, but the NHS does not have the resources to give you the support you need, day in , day out
MN does

look forward to seeing you there

the only weight loss pills that work are the ones that make you leak fat out of your backside. Nice.

your GP would do better giving you help to overcome disordered eating (which is what dieting is, and is really shown if you've banged on a stone in a 'short time') and helping you learn about a healthy lifestyle.

good luck.